Suzy’s Cheesecakes facility wins final Oak Creek approval

An Oak Creek industrial building proposed as the new home for Suzy’s Cream Cheesecakes Inc. has received city approval for some renovations to accommodate the company.

The Plan Commission on Tuesday night approved changes to the 44,200-square-foot former commercial printing facility, at 9911 S. Howell Ave., said Kari Papelbon, a city planner. Suzy’s plans to begin that work as soon as possible, she said.

Suzy’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Kirchner couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday.

Suzy’s, which now has around 50 employees at 1775 E. Bolivar Ave., St. Francis, plans to have 90 employees at the Oak Creek building, according to a city report.

The Oak Creek Common Council in January approved a $2.2 million industrial revenue bond sale to help finance Suzy’s move from its longtime St. Francis production facility to the Howell Ave. building.

The city would not be a lender nor a guarantor of the tax-exempt bonds.

Oak Creek would allow an affiliate of Port Washington-based Ansay Development Corp. to borrow money from a private lender by selling bonds issued in the city’s name.

The lender would accept a lower interest rate from the Ansay affiliate because the lender doesn’t pay federal taxes on municipal bonds.

The Oak Creek building was later sold to that affiliate, Howell Avenue Oak Creek LLC, by an affiliate of Milwaukee-based Van Buren Management Inc. for $2.05 million, according to state real estate records posted in March.

The company in 2011 proposed a new facility in Milwaukee, at the Menomonee Valley Industrial Center. But those plans didn’t proceed.

Also, Suzy’s last year considered building a new facility in Belgium, in Ozaukee County.